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U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 16, 2011

Ryan Palmer

BETHESDA, MARYLAND

Q. What did you teach yourself here last Tuesday?
RYAN PALMER: I came out a week ago on Tuesday just by myself, got in the golf cart and I hit 6 tee shots on every hole. Not even par-3s, every par-4, par-5 out here, I sat there with the same club. I hit six shots all day. I didn't hit any iron shots or chip and putt much because the greens weren't that fast. I had a good idea on every line I wanted to take coming into this golf course. This is one of my favorite golf courses I like to play.
I birdied the first hole and felt good all day. It was nice to get under par, obviously, and shooting 60s the first day in the U.S. Open. The biggest thing was hitting good tee shots that just went in the rough. I was able to still hit the greens, the way they've got the new rough. It gives the guys that hit good tee shots, they just run through the fairway a little bit and you can still play from there a little bit. That was the big thing today.

Q. As you said, you enjoy playing this golf course and on Tour events and so forth. This is a different golf course than you guys are used to playing. Or do you still feel that --
RYAN PALMER: No, it is different, but what I like most about it is the design of the holes for me. Every tee shot sets up -- there's a few out there that go to the right. But the majority of them look good to my eye. I drove it great today. The few I hit in the rough a little bit, I was able to put an 8-iron on or wedge or whatever and still hit the green. I had a great day on the greens today. I think, aside from 16, making bogey, I don't think I could have shot any worse. That's how solid I played today.

Q. How do you feel about your position? You struggled in a few U.S. Opens in the past. You're one shot off the lead?
RYAN PALMER: I feel great. I've played in two in the past. In '07, when I played, I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my golf swing.
And in '08, I was in junior college. I guess a little more veteran or veteranized, if you want to say. More skilled, veteran player than I have been in the past.

Q. Y.E. Yang was saying the thing he likes the most, especially with the USGA setup, is when you're in a situation where you don't have to go out and chase anybody, it's a delightful thing in a U.S. Open. And obviously that's where he is, and I think you can say the same thing for you. You're not chasing right now. Talk about the mentality of getting a round like this under your belt.
RYAN PALMER: It's great, especially in a U.S. Open when I played well. It has a lot to do with the way I played at the Masters, finishing 10th, and staying patient and finishing the way I did. It's a golf course you don't have to go out and shoot 65 to have a chance. I'm going to gain a lot of experience from the Byron Nelson, when I shot 5 over on the weekend and lost in a playoff. Par was good there. I think that's going to help me this week.

Q. Any undue pressure to make the cut here, are you thinking about that?
RYAN PALMER: No, obviously if anything, just to hopefully play well. Obviously, playing well at the Masters goes a long way towards Ryder Cup for next year. Plus I think I'm 14th in Presidents Cup, this is a big week with the few weeks I have coming up as well. Not just pressure to play good, just keep showing myself I do belong on the biggest stage, prove I can play with the guys on the best courses and best tournaments.

Q. What do you think of hole 10?
RYAN PALMER: I loved it today, I hit it about four feet. Keeping it up was smart where the left side of the green is. I'm sure we'll see it back there one day, I'm sure, on the weekend. It's definitely a hard shot, especially on your tee shot of the day, which I'll get tomorrow afternoon. It's a pretty hole.

Q. How important is patience on a course like this?
RYAN PALMER: Just in this golf tournament. I've always -- me and James, we have a game plan, if we get in trouble, there's no reason we can't pitch out. The way I'm putting, just wedge it up on the green. You're going to make some bogeys, no doubt about it, it's eliminating the double bogeys and big numbers. I think I'll have plenty of birdie chances. I made double on 11 at the Masters on Thursday, and I got down on myself. And James picked me up and said you've got to calm down, this is Thursday, you've got to stay patient with yourself. And I birdied three or four of the next six holes. That's important going into weeks like this.

Q. Do you feel there were be ample opportunities early on?
RYAN PALMER: Yes, I hit a lot of wedges today. There's definitely -- the greens aren't quite as firm yet or fast. There's definitely some birdies to be had. But there's a lot of bogeys to be had, too.

Q. Being a Major championship where the conversation was about three or four guys with a chance to win, maybe that was never realistic, but it seemed those three or four guys seemed to be the guys who were the story lines on Sunday. And you look at the last 7 major winners, and there are guys who have never won Majors before, and there have been 10 different winners, do you feel we're in an era -- it's different than it was five or ten years ago?
RYAN PALMER: No doubt. And even watching some of the things on The Golf Channel, talking about who to watch, who to predict. It's the same guys every week. But there are a hundred guys out here every week that can come out and win every week. I don't mind sneaking up in there. Well, wait a minute, we didn't talk about them. That's okay. No pressure on me. Same guys they talk about each week. It's nice to surprise some people and show them how good my game is and I can compete with these guys, as well.

Q. Does it give you guys hope -- I shouldn't say hope, you always believe in yourself, you see Louis, Charl and Graeme, these guys floated under the radar, and you say maybe this could be mine?
RYAN PALMER: No doubt, I think about that each time I come to a Major championship. Why can't it be mine? I've won three times. I finished second in a World Golf Championship, and lost in a playoff in the Byron Nelson, finished 10th at the Masters. I know I can play on the biggest stage. No reason I can't give myself a chance to win this weekend.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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